I really loved this book and stayed up until 3am to finish it. I thought the story was unique and enthralling!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I have had this author in my sights and on my to-read list for a while, when gifted with this copy I dove in and I am so glad I did. I loved her writing style and will be reading more.

Jenny's life wasn't easy at all; having difficulty moving forward in her life when the past doesn't let her go. Especially when her father was blamed for a crime that she doesn't know if he truly committed. A true-crime tv show achieves the reopening of the case some time later with new evidence that will reveal more about the missing girl and what truly happened. Everyone wants to know the truth, which they will find out in the final episode. I think that the combination between the TV show and the reality of the characters was interesting, but I would have liked a better balance between reality and the TV show. The mystery/thriller was gripping enough and the pacing was okay, although it was a bit slow at first. It takes its time to set up the narrative, but when it does, you don't want to detach yourself from it. The setting was chilling and creepy, it had that vibe that something was wrong. I would have liked it to be clearer who was narrating at some moments, sometimes it was partially confusing, especially when at some moments the narrative seemed aimed at the reader but in reality it was to another character. It was difficult to follow the book until I became familiar with those who narrated, but in the same way, it does seem necessary to make better distinctions between present and past, as well as the narrator. It was quite ingenious to have two different timelines, as I feel that in that way it kept me more caught up in the story. And when I thought I had guessed all the plot twists, I was impressed that they were not yet finished until the last stretch. It had a solid but bittersweet conclusion and for me, it left no loose ends.




Thanks Netgalley for this ARC

2.75 stars

This is only an ok book

The concept is great the execution not so much. I won’t get into it too much, but it’s kind of not very well put together. None of the characters are very likable, and though I know it’s fiction most of this particular story is quite a reach.

I have the privilege of reading—and reviewing—a book that won't be published for another five months, and I have some things to say. I do not like this book. I genuinely do not. From the confusingly created story to the writing I do not understand nor fully appreciate the gist of this book.
To give a rundown, a tragic event occurs to a girl, and years later, said occurrence becomes a TV series. The woman now has to rely on the TV series to accept who is the perpetrator of said tragic thing that happened. How does that make sense?

If someone goes through a tragedy and a TV series gets made out of it, when does the victim need to throw so much attention on the TV series and not on what IN REALITY happened to her? The book is divided into unnecessary long episodes and short and boring chapters. Nothing of value or importance is happening in the book. If this TV series had lied about this tragic happening, and the victim did everything she could to PROVE WHAT HAPPENED TO DEFY THE LIES, I WOULD STAND BEHIND.

To top it off, the writing is often exhausting to read. The characters don't matter to me, nor do they create any spark in me wanting to learn more about them—granted, I did not learn anything about them. The book also behaves as if it is a sequel of something even though it seems to be a standalone.

Based on this tragic happening and the TV series set up - the book is divided into episodes and chapters: if the author is willing to keep that, the episode and chapter must go hand in hand and give the reader more information about this tragic thing that happened. For example: an episode starts with the childhood of our main character, we then move on to a chapter and get a further intro into the main character`s childhood to get a better picture. They should not act so differently from one another but rather come together to fully explain the tragic thing that did happen.

The Last Episode by Lori Ray is a novel I was genuinely excited to read. However, much like the setting, it felt as though I was slogging through a sticky swamp—struggling to make progress. I had to skim to finish the novel; while I couldn’t bring myself to DNF it, I came dangerously close several times. The mystery and pursuit of the truth kept me slightly gripped, but the novel lacked crucial elements needed for me to fully understand the events leading up to the climax.

Before I proceed with the rest of the review, I would like to note a few triggers:

- alcoholism
- kidnapping

If any of the aforementioned triggers may be unsettling for you, please approach this novel with caution.

Moving along, the story follows Jennifer Jones and her best friends, who spend every summer at Big Cypress Swamp. As she turns eleven, Jennifer hopes to gain the “second sight” foretold by her family legend and fulfill her destiny. Instead, the swamp reveals dangers greater than the lurking gators on Halfway Creek. Little Francie Farrow vanishes—and Jennifer’s father, Paul Jones, is imprisoned. Fast forward twenty years, and Jennifer has almost managed to shed the label of “Paul Jones’s daughter.” However, her past comes rushing back when Inspired by True Events, a TV series that solves unsolvable cases, recreates that fateful summer. As the series airs, Jennifer begins to wonder: Has the show finally uncovered the truth about Francie Farrow? And is her father truly guilty? As the finale looms, Jennifer must confront the reality of her family’s legacy and what it means for her.

Within the first 40 pages, I sensed that this novel was going to be a struggle. And I was right. While the ending provided a satisfying resolution, I couldn’t enjoy the story because I spent most of my time rewinding pages, trying to figure out whether I was in the past or present, and who was narrating. By page 100, I gave up and began skimming. Even then, nothing juicy had occurred. If Ray had provided clear distinctions between timelines and characters—perhaps using chapter headers or transitions—it would have helped immensely. Instead, the narrative frequently flipped between past and present in the middle of chapters without warning, leaving me utterly lost.

For me, once I can’t understand what’s happening—despite going back to reread—the book loses me entirely. A wave of frustration washes over, and it’s difficult to recover. While novels can feature complex characters and timelines, they need to be executed with clarity, and unfortunately, this one was not. Additionally, Jennifer often referred to “you” in her narration, which the context eventually revealed to mean her father. However, it was poorly established, making it feel more confusing than mysterious.

That said, the setting of Big Cypress Swamp was haunting and atmospheric, and I appreciated the chilling energy of the characters. It felt like the framework for a blood-curdling mystery was there, but the execution fell flat.

Overall, The Last Episode earned a 2/5 because I was unable to enjoy the investigative adventures or the mystery itself, as I was too preoccupied with distinguishing past from present and deciphering who was speaking. While I did partially enjoy the appalling denouement, I was left with lingering confusion that dulled its impact.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for providing me with this Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Final Episode is a mystery/thriller that weaves two timelines together, and unveil the mystery about a missing girl, Francie Farrow. Francie was missing from 20 years ago when she was 10 years old, and a new documentary in the present time about the old case opened the investigation of all the secrets from years ago. The documentary will reveal the truth of the disappearance at the end of the sho, and everyone involved in the old missing girl case are now eagerly waiting for the airing of the final episode.

Lori Roy told the suspenseful story expertly. I couldn't put it down and can't wait to find out about the truth. All the build up comes to a satisfying ending. Definitely recommend a read!

4.5/5

Woah.
This book is incredible. I couldn’t put it down. The book is told in two different timelines. The twist and turns are excellent. The book is told in Jenny’s point of view in during a tragic childhood summer and her adult life. A show digs up her past and each chapter in the book is an episode of the show.

This book is 100% worth the read.

I really enjoyed reading this book and was tempted to finish it in one setting! It does start off a little slow to fully set things up for the story, but I actually didn't mind it. I loved the dual timelines aspect and feel that the characters were well fleshed out. I definitely think anyone who is a fan of mysteries/thrillers will enjoy this book and the author.

I love when podcast or Tv shows are incorporated into books. Jennifer Jones is hopeful the show will answer questions about her past and if her father is guilty of a crime. Someone else wants answers too. There were twists and the ending is not what you think. The writing was strong and I loved following along on the tv episodes. This book made me want to finish it in one day it was that enticing.

Wow what a book!! It starts off slow, setting up the foundation for the plot. At first this was confusing because a lot of characters were being thrown at us. But, with more twists comes more excitement. Throughout the book, you’re lead to believe that the last episode will be predictable, slightly losing confidence as you go. The end truly throws you for a loop, though, and I’m so happy I was surprised!

I wish it was a little clearer which characters were speaking to who at times, especially with Jenny talking to her father. But I love that we got to experience the episodes along with the characters.

I'm notoriously picky when it comes to mystery-thrillers - so often they promise everything, only to leave me disappointed on the final page. The Final Episode by Lori Roy, however, is a rare exception. The pacing was spot on, the mystery gripping enough to make me want to devour it in one sitting, and most importantly, every plot point was resolved by the end. No loose threads, no unanswered questions - just a solid, satisfying conclusion.

I'm notoriously picky when it comes to mystery-thrillers - so often they promise everything, only to leave me disappointed on the final page. The Final Episode by Lori Roy, however, is a rare exception. The pacing was spot on, the mystery gripping enough to make me want to devour it in one sitting, and most importantly, every plot point was resolved by the end. No loose threads, no unanswered questions - just a solid, satisfying conclusion.
That said, I wish the true crime series aspect had been more central to the story. It felt like a distant backdrop rather than a key part of the characters' lives.

Fue una historia adictiva; una vez que empecé, no solté el libro hasta terminarlo. Disfruté del estilo de escritura, la trama y la forma en que estaba narrado.

Mi reseña será breve porque no quiero dar spoilers, y definitivamente los thrillers deben leerse sin tener idea de lo que está sucediendo.



Hay una parte en donde todas las piezas del rompecabezas están en la mesa y se vuelve obvio lo que ocurrió, lo cual debería haber hecho que perdiera el interés, pero la autora logró mantenerme atenta.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant. This dark, contemporary book captures the essence of the people and places where bad things happen. The plot itself is carefully woven, designed to mislead, and every character is credible and necessary. I loved the back story to Elizabeth and the role played by Arlen. The writing itself is an example of how good thrillers should be done - tight, descriptive, unemotional but evocative.

The Final Episode by Lori Roy, published by Thomas & Mercer is a story that spans decades. A thriller of its finest with stor and characters that'll stay with the reader.
The author is a masterful wordsmith, writing suspenseful crimestories.
A complex story, sometimes a bit confusing, but always a great read.
Blurb: Jennifer Jones and her best friends spend every summer at Big Cypress Swamp, and this summer, Jennifer will finally turn eleven. She hopes to gain the “second sight” foretold by family legend and fulfill her destiny. Instead, the swamp serves up dangers greater than the gators lurking on Halfway Creek. Little Francie Farrow vanishes—and Jennifer’s father goes to prison.
Twenty years later, Jennifer has almost shed the label of Paul Jones’s daughter when her past comes barreling back. Inspired by True Events, a TV series that solves the unsolvable, is recreating that fateful summer. As the series plays out, Jennifer wonders: Did the show finally find Francie Farrow? And is Jennifer’s father truly guilty?
Someone else wants answers even more than Jennifer does, and they won’t let her forget it.
As the series nears its finale and the long-awaited truth, Jennifer must come to terms with who her family is…and what that makes her.

A really great read. I loved all of the characters and how the story was set us with the dual timelines.

I love when podcasts play a part in thrillers, so I was hoping I would love The Final Episode — but it wasn't for me. I was expecting the podcast to drive the plot and the shape the narration in a way that it didn't. To be clear, I think it's very well-written and that many, many mystery fans will tear through it. There are some great twists and lots of intriguing characters that add so much to the story, and I will definitely be watching for whatever Lori Roy publishes next.